The present disclosure relates generally to user-interface applications for patient monitoring devices. In particular, present embodiments relate to display features that facilitate observation of monitored physiological data with patient monitoring instruments.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Patient monitors include medical devices that facilitate measurement and observation of patient physiological data. For example, pulse oximeters are a type of patient monitor. A typical patient monitor cooperates with a sensor to detect and display a patient's vital signs (e.g., temperature, pulse rate, or respiratory rate) and/or other physiological measurements (e.g., water content of tissue, or blood oxygen level) for observation by a user (e.g., clinician). For example, pulse oximeters are generally utilized with related sensors to detect and monitor a patient's functional oxygen saturation of arterial hemoglobin (i.e., SpO2) and pulse rate. Other types of patient monitors may be utilized to detect and monitor other physiological parameters. The use of patient monitors may improve patient care by facilitating supervision of a patient without continuous attendance by a human observer (e.g., a nurse or physician).
A patient monitor may include a screen that displays information relating to operation and use of the patient monitor. A typical patient monitor screen may display patient data for further interpretation by a user. Such display information may include indications that relate to a patient's physiological conditions. In addition, a patient monitor may also be capable of generating alarms related to the patient's condition (e.g., changes in a physiological parameter), as well as alarms related to certain operating characteristics of the monitor itself (e.g., low battery alarms). These patient-related alarms may alert a caregiver to conditions that may benefit from medical intervention. However, because a monitor may display various patient information that may be associated with a number of alarms, a monitor may generate so many alarms that the patient's rest is disturbed, and the caregiver may not be able to quickly interpret an individual alarm, particularly if multiple alarms are triggered at once.